Erica Enders set for rebound in Brainerd
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 16 of 23 LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS Brainerd (Minn.) Int'l Raceway Race Date: Aug. 11-13, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Will Truitt, 317-340-8866; willtruitt@earthlink.net ERICA ENDERS SET FOR REBOUND IN BRAINERD BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 9, 2006) - New Don Schumacher Racing Pro Stock driver Erica Enders did not have the hoped-for results in the three-race, back-to-back Western Swing (Denver, Seattle, Sonoma, Calif.). The quick fashion in which she joined the DSR team in early July to drive the Team Schumacher Dodge Stratus R/T may have accounted for some of that. Now that the team has had some time back at the DSR shop in Brownsburg, Ind., and at crew chief/engine builder David Nickens' engine facility in Texas following a weekend off after her No. 13 qualifying effort and two DNQs, respectively, on the Swing, Enders is ready for strong results at this weekend's Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. "I talked to David and I know he, and everybody on the team were just excited to get home for a couple weeks," said Enders. "He was able to get the motors back into the shop and take a good look at them. It's really hard to find horsepower when you are out on the road, so it's nice for him to have that shop time. I think it will be pretty crucial to our turnaround." This will be her second trip to the rural Minnesota track. "I'm looking forward to the Brainerd event. The fans are really, really into it, so that's cool. Last year was my first time to ever race at BIR, and we missed the show after we hurt our primary motor in the first qualifying session, but that's racing. "Hopefully the weather will be nice and cool, and we can put the car into the show. Then we can start picking up points and get it going again." ERICA ENDERS QUICK FACTS: * Twelfth in 2006 NHRA Pro Stock standings after 15 events * DNQ at 2005 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals * Joined Don Schumacher Racing after Midwest Nationals (St. Louis), the 12th race of 2006 * Career-best elapsed time is 6.670-seconds (Chicago 2, 2005) * Career-best mph is 207.56 (Englishtown, N.J. 2006) * Only female driver to qualify No. 1 in a Pro Stock field (Topeka, Kan., 2006) * Reached her first Pro Stock final in her rookie season (Chicago 2, 2005) * Defeated Rickie Smith for her first professional round-win (Reading, Pa., 2005) * Has 37 career wins in the Jr. Dragster division, six Super Comp victories, and one Super Gas win. * Had her life story made into the Disney Original Movie "Right on Track" in 2003 * First Woman to compete in NHRA's Pro Stock category since 1993 * First Woman in NHRA history to qualify in the top half of a Pro Stock field * Started drag racing at the age of 8 in 1992 * Original Jr. Dragster car is on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum * Has driven Pro Stock, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Jr. Dragsters * 2000 Sportsman Rookie of the Year * 1995 Jr. Dragster Driver of the Year WEEKEND SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, Aug. 11 -- PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:45 and 5:30 p.m. SATURDAY, Aug. 12 -- PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. SUNDAY, Aug. 13 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, Aug. 12, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 6 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Aug. 13, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Aug. 13, ESPN2 will televise NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, Aug. 11, 9:30-10 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 11/ Transponder 15 K (12003 MHz, horizontal) Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 11/ Transponder 15 K (12003 MHz, horizontal) Sunday, Aug. 13, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 11/ Transponder 15 K (12003 MHz, horizontal) ***